Planning a holiday with a family is stressful enough without adding to the mix a neurodiverse child as well. It is important for Oscar to have loads of experiences though and going on a plane to a different country is definitely high on the list. As with anything involving a child with a condition, advance planning is key and making sure that the children understand what is going to happen at certain times. Oscar had been talking about Portugal for the last six months so it was a relief to be able to say we were finally going. It’s a bit of a conundrum-do you tell them in plenty of time and run the risk of them talking about it constantly, or do you tell them much nearer to departure and run the risk of them worrying about it? I still haven’t figured that out yet.

When we booked our holiday with TUI, we asked for special assistance for Oscar which could include things like fast track security at the home airport and priority boarding. Oscar wore a sunflower lanyard also to signpost his hidden disability. Unfortunately, this didn’t help us at bag drop. Because the desks were understaffed we had to queue for 40 minutes (the lanes for Jet2 on the other hand were much quicker.) Jet2: 1, TUI:0. We did manage to go through fast track security which did help get some time back although Oscar got a bit upset when his bag was taken to a different area to search and he got a bit confused. We finally got through to departures and we went to our gate after getting drinks for the plane as the hold up meant we didn’t have time to go to a cafe.

When we got to the gate though we were able to get priority boarding and because we had chosen our seats and they were at the front of the plane, were able to quickly get ourselves settled and prepare for the flight. It is worth talking to the holiday company when you book about choosing seats if you have a child with a hidden disability as the price for choosing the seats is often reduced or sometimes free. The flight went well and Oscar enjoyed doing his airport activity book and enjoyed eating some snacks. When we got to Faro airport, all we saw was a sea of people waiting to get through passport control but luckily a member of staff directed us to the priority lane along with others with special conditions and we went through quickly. It’s important to wear lanyards alerting people to special conditions and you can also order badges from Amazon.

After getting our cases, the next step was to find our coach transfer. In other airports we have been able to speak to TUI reps but again the company let themselves down. There was no one to help us get to the coach so it was more luck than judgement that we found it. A couple of years ago, Oscar would have not coped with these problems but it’s testament to how far he has come that he was able to stay calm. It was a fairly long transfer to the hotel as the coach went round the houses but Oscar enjoyed looking out for the hotels (and the pringles helped!)

3HB Clube Humbria: Olhos de Agua

I thoroughly recommend this hotel if you are going with children. The hotel staff were helpful and made sure we had all the information we needed. When we had taken cases to our room we went to the restaurant. The good thing about buffet style food in hotels is that there is always pizza! Oscar being quite a fussy eater, was always able to have food he liked. Phew!

We chose an all-inclusive package. We could have eaten at the restaurant for lunch every day but after a big breakfast the snack bar at the pool was sufficient. Oscar often had a toasted sandwich which is another food he really enjoys. All-inclusive hotels are great for families. The children can go and get ice creams and drinks whenever. Millie (and I) loved the slushies and I might have had a few pina coladas over the holiday!

The grounds of the hotel were immaculate and there were plenty of sunbeds around the pool. The pool was freezing though which was a shame but once you were used to it it was pleasant and even Oscar who does suffer with the cold, even did some swimming. His favourite thing was playing with the water pistol of course. The splash park was great too despite the water being cold and myself and my husband had to go under the tipping bucket a number of times (brrrr). Oscar enjoyed all the slides.

We had an apartment style room towards the back of the hotel in a quiet block which perfect for Oscar to feel relaxed in and he got to watch Bluey (he loved it even if the characters spoke in Portugese). We had a fridge so we stocked it with big bottles of water (you could ask for as much as you wanted from the reception.) There was a main bedroom and the lounge area had a sofa bed for Oscar and one for Millie. The bed was perfect for Oscar. We had a balcony as well.

Fabulous Falesia beach

Many of the days were spent at the beach. On the first day we walked down to the little beach at Olhos de Agua. Subsequently we found a nicer beach, Falesia Beach, going in the other direction which was more like the Algarve beaches that I remembered from my childhood. The sand was great for building sandcastles and there were lots of shells. We swam in the sea when the temperature was 30 degrees, on cooler days (still mid 20s) we paddled and built sandcastles. Oscar wasn’t that fussed about the sea but loved building sandcastles and building moats for the sea to come into. My daughter Millie loved running into the waves (the waves on the Atlantic coast were great for jumping into.)

Departure

When the time came to go home, we really didn’t want to leave. We had a great holiday. The children had enjoyed themselves, Oscar had been relaxed as the apartment was almost home from home for him and the food was perfect for his tastes. He managed the heat really well. I was really proud of him. The coach transfer went smoothly and I was impressed with Faro airport check-in. The staff member advised us to make use of special assistance for Oscar which we are so glad we took up. It meant that we used a separate security area again (pretty much just ourselves) so it was calm. We went in the priority lane for passport exit checks and therefore we had a lot more time in departures (to buy the obligatory toblerone of course!) The flight went fairly smoothly (although there was no priority boarding because there were buses from the terminal to the plane. At East Midlands, we went through the family lane for immigration so it was quick.

Overall, I would definitely say that our holiday was successful. With the right planning, seeking special assistance if possible and choosing a hotel to suit needs, going abroad can work with a neurodiverse child. I will never stop worrying about how Oscar will react but each experience helps me realise that his coping mechanisms are improving. I maybe should have more faith in our plans.